Fashion

Summer makeover: A fab new figure deserves a new look

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After reaching her goal weight, Kerry Sutherland was ready to embrace the change of a new makeover.

Kerry SutherlandAge: 36Job: Sales manager

Backstory: While pregnant with her son, Kerry was shocked to discover she had gestational diabetes—and she was considered obese. She immediately overhauled her diet and began exercising. Two years later, she's reached her goal weight. "I'm a size 4 now, but I still wear my size 14 clothes on the odd (OK, admittedly not so odd) occasion," says Kerry. It was time for a brand new look.

Makeup: "I wake up, bike into work and sometimes remember to do my makeup," says Kerry of her less-is-more approach, which consists of a touch of foundation, a hint of blush and the occasional swipe of mascara. Plutino Group makeup artist Jodi Urichuk gave the busy mom a pretty, polished new look that also respected her innate practicality. The result: light-coverage foundation with soft contouring and a sheer wash of berry lipstick. The main focus, however, was her eyes. "Kerry has hooded eyes, so defining them is essential to making them look larger," says Urichuk. Using a golden eyeshadow, Urichuk intensified the outer corners, flicking the shadow out and up at the sides.

Hair: Kerry walked into the salon with gorgeous fiery-red curls—and a hairstyle that had been growing out for several years. The ends were straggly and in need of a trim, so Marilisa Sears, artistic director for Marc Anthony Hair Care, snipped off the damaged sections, added a few long layers for shape and thinned out the rest to add body. For added sizzle, Julie Coupland, senior master stylist for Marc Anthony Salons, brightened Kerry's natural hue from roots to ends. To style the new 'do, Sears scrunched some Marc Anthony Strictly Curls Curl Enhancing Styling Foam throughout and allowed the curls to air-dry. She touched up the natural ringlets with a curling iron, then pulled a treatment oil from the midshafts to the ends to enhance shine.

Skin: Kerry's alabaster skin was dry and tight—symptoms that Amanda Lindsay, skin therapist at Dermalogica's International Dermal Institute attributes to Kerry's habit of washing with regular soap. "She has so much redness and dehydration; she should be using a creamy cleanser with calming benefits," says Lindsay. "Her skin shouldn't feel tight or uncomfortable after cleansing, nor should it look irritated." Undereye bags and puffiness were another trouble spot for Kerry, who was guilty of committing a skin-care no-no: using daily moisturizer around her eye area. "The skin around the eyes is a lot thinner than the rest of face," says Lindsay. An eye cream is formulated differently; its molecular structure is more refined, active and safe for that area.

Wardrobe: "My personal style is so easy," says Kerry. What with being a mother of an active toddler, training for a triathlon and travelling for work, she hasn't had time to break out of her comfort zone and discover a fresh style. Melissa Evans-Lee, a marketing director at Bayview Village shopping centre in Toronto, set out to find an outfit that would complement Kerry's colouring and fit her perfectly. "I dressed Kerry in something that was flirty and body-conscious," says Evans-Lee, "because I know that, since her weight loss, most of her clothes fit baggy." The structured fit-and-flare dress she chose accentuates Kerry's tiny waist, while the distinctive bluish-toned prints adds a unique element to the outfit. "This dress is a statement on its own, and it doesn't really need a ton of accessories," says Evans-Lee.

Verdict: "On my home after the photo shoot, some guy tried to pick me up at the subway station. Then, I decided to grab a glass of wine at the airport before a flight and I got carded!" says Kerry in a followup email. "Melissa showed me how to dress for my figure, and Jodi taught me to highlight my features rather than cover up my flaws."